SC notice to Centre on mandatory compliance of RTI law

The petitioner said Section 4 is the soul of the RTI Act, without which, the transparency law remains an ornamental legislation

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Union government on a plea for effective implementation of the RTI Act, mandating public authorities to disclose information under the transparency law.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh sought a reply from the Centre on the petition filed by K C Jain.

The petitioner asked the court to direct the government to ensure compulsory implementation of Section 4, and more particularly Section 4(2) mandating public authorities to suo moto disclose vital information about their functioning.

He said Section 4 is the soul of the RTI Act, without which, the transparency law remains an ornamental legislation.

"There should be suo moto disclosure of all vital information. Section 4(2) embodies this mandate of suo moto proactive disclosures," the plea said, citing reports of the Central Information Commission on poor compliance of the mandate.

The petitioner also submitted that there were three other petitions pending in this regard before the court.

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